Credit Nuggets with steal

Acquired from Bulls for little, J.R. Smith is off to strong start

Chris Tomasson, Rocky Mountain News

Published November 21, 2006 at midnight

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The 20th century saw The Great Train Robbery and the Brinks Job. The 21st century so far has the J.R. Smith trade.

The Nuggets in July acquired Smith, a shooting guard, from Chicago, for next to nothing. The price, which conjures memories of Peter Minuit buying Manhattan for $24 in 1626, was two second-round draft picks and guard Howard Eisley, who then was waived.

"It's definitely a steal," Nuggets center Marcus Camby said.

Smith agrees.

"In my opinion, I think so," he said.

Smith can show the Bulls tonight at the Pepsi Center what they have missed. He's averaging 14 points and has developed into the Nuggets' top three-point shooter (22-of-59, 37.3 percent).

The Bulls in the summer shipped forward Tyson Chandler to New Orleans/Oklahoma City for forward P.J. Brown and Smith. They had thrown nearly all their salary-cap room at center Ben Wallace, who got a four-year, $60 million contract.

With plenty of young backcourt players, Bulls general manager John Paxson didn't feel Smith, a third-year player, would play much. He wanted a veteran.

The Bulls sought free-agent swingman Adrian Griffin. But, to outbid Dallas for Griffin, they needed cap room.

So the Bulls dealt Smith to the Nuggets on July 20 for Eisley, who had a nonguaranteed deal worth $1.18 million. Eisley was waived the next day, and the Bulls soon signed Griffin to a three-year contract that pays him $1.48 million this season.

In six games, Griffin is averaging 2.0 points. He has missed the past four because of a calf strain and might not play tonight for the struggling Bulls (3-7).

"I've got nothing to say about it," Paxson said Monday about the deal. "You paint it any way you want to paint it."

The Nuggets are painting the town red, although perhaps they prefer blue and gold.

"We're way happy with (the trade)," vice president of basketball operations Mark Warkentien said.

Warkentien gives much credit to Nuggets owner Stan Kroenke, who agreed to pay an extra $75,000 for the Nuggets to have a tradeable asset in Eisley.

Instead of signing Eisley in March to a minimum contract for the rest of the season, the Nuggets also gave him a nonguaranteed deal for this season, meaning the NBA wouldn't supplement his salary.

Warkentien said Eisley is the "conduit" in the deal. The Bulls traded Smith to Denver a week after he arrived from the Hornets.

"I don't feel any animosity toward (the Bulls)," Smith said. "It was a business decision. I understand. I think I'm in a better place anyway."

The Nuggets long have sought an impact shooting guard. Warkentien said the Nuggets tried to trade for Smith last season, when he averaged 7.7 points for the Hornets, and were rejected in the summer when they offered the Hornets the same package Chicago eventually got.

Smith is 21. But Smith, who is making $1.39 million and recently had his $2.14 million option for next season picked up, has great potential.

"He's just a very good talent that we've got to mold and push and direct and cheer and kick and do everything with," said Nuggets coach George Karl, trying to get Smith to drive and draw more fouls after he shot 4-of-13 on three-pointers but didn't get to the free-throw line Saturday against Toronto.

Karl said the trade so far "looks great." The Nuggets had coveted Smith since he was drafted No. 18 in 2004, two spots ahead of Denver's pick.

"I remember him being here during his workout," Camby said. "He was shooting from darn near half court, swishing it.

"I was like, 'Man, I hope we have a chance to pick him.' . . . His potential is limitless. For us to get him was a big steal for us."

So far, there have been no arrests in the incident. But the Nuggets are regarded as prime suspects.

ETC.: Warkentien said the Nuggets traded their No. 49 pick in the second round in June after forward Paul Millsap, the last player that interested them, went No. 47 to Utah. He's averaging 7.6 points for the Jazz . . . Camby funded the delivery of 50 Thanksgiving dinners to disadvantaged families at two Boys and Girls Clubs and will serve 1,000 of Denver's homeless Thursday at Jackson's Sports Rock.

Bulls at Nuggets

• When: 7 p.m. today.

• Where: Pepsi Center.

• TV/radio: Altitude; KKFN-AM (950)

• Starting lineups

Chicago (3-7)

Pos. Ht. Pts.

5 Andres Nocioni F 6-7 12.6

9 Luol Deng F 6-9 16.8

3 Ben Wallace C 6-9 5.5

21 Chris Duhon G 6-1 7.1

12 Kirk Hinrich G 6-3 15.7

Coach: Scott Skiles

Denver (4-4)

Pos. Ht. Pts.

15 Carmelo Anthony F 6-8 31.0

21 Eduardo Najera F 6-8 5.9

23 Marcus Camby C 6-11 10.5

1 J.R. Smith G 6-6 14.0

24 Andre Miller G 6-2 15.5

Coach: George Karl

• Injuries: Bulls - F-G Adrian Griffin (right calf strain) is questionable; G Ben Gordon (jammed left thumb) and Wallace (right biceps strain) are probable. Nuggets - G Julius Hodge (infected left foot), F Kenyon Martin (right knee surgery) and F Nene (bruised right knee) are out; Miller (sprained right ankle) is probable.

• Notes: Nene did not practice Monday and said he will miss his fifth straight game. "(The knee is) getting stronger," said Nene, who wouldn't rule himself out of Wednesday's game at Golden State . . . Miller, injured during the final minute of Saturday's 117-109 win against Toronto, vows to play. Karl said Miller had a good practice . . . The NBA's two top defensive centers meet. "I'm excited about the challenge," Camby said of playing Wallace . . . Despite the much-publicized acquisition of Wallace, Chicago has struggled. "I don't think they're in trouble," Karl said of the Bulls, who play their eighth game on the road out of 11. "I think they're going to be fine." . . . Anthony plays his first game since taking the NBA scoring lead after Saturday's games.

tomassonc@RockyMountainNews.com or 303-954-5125

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